It's cricket crunch time on Sunshine Coast

CRICKET: Crunch time starts this weekend for the sides in SCCA Division 1 fixtures, as the first return two-day match ends, with the possibility of the minor premiership tilting strongly towards one side.

The presence of a bye in the draw adds uncertainty to any quick perusal of the points table, especially when the leading sides, Caboolture and Marooochydore, each have one bye left before the semi-finals.

At the moment Caboolture has roughly a 24-point and the Swans a 13-point lead over the next contender, Glasshouse. With the average win around 15 points, a win while the leaders are off the field can even up the final totals.

But the play tomorrow is even more important because Caboolture and Maroochydore are in the middle of a tussle where the home side is at 6/286, and will surely bat on. If Blaine Schloss decides to keep the Snakes in the field until lunch, the visitors will most likely have a 350 + chase in two sessions, unlikely even given Caboolture's 387 rampage in 50 overs last Sunday.

If the grounds are similar to the start of the game, wickets will be hard to come by, so the draw looks a good chance, being a result that wouldn't affect the status quo too much, and definitely wouldn't help the sides below who would love to see a loser.

Glasshouse has the most to lose, just beginning to bat in search of Nambour's 6/324- a huge task. It would be a record chase for the Rangers, surpassing the effort against Caloundra in 1994-95 when Glasshouse reached 362 in response to Caloundra's 312. But this is the Showgrounds, where mammoth scores can be produced.

The Rangers have the staff to copy the Cutters' total, in Brett Milini, Jeremy Schultz, Dan Cahill and Liam Moffett, who need to produce their better efforts at the same time, as a loss could be expensive. Fitness and fight are needed here.

Gympie is seven points behind Glasshouse on the ladder, and the Gold's 252 became more valuable with two Caloundra wickets in the nine overs before stumps at Albert Park. A win to the home side plus a Glasshouse loss would be a huge boost for the Gold after an indifferent start to the season in the longer form. Caloundra has shown a marked improvement as the days roll along, and is developing the tenacity to stay at the crease. This will be another spot test of the Lighthouses' progress against a side that has the experience to grind in the field.

Overall, a Caboolture win could nearly seal the minor premiership, and a Glasshouse loss would lift Gympie to three with the Cutters just outside the four. Then Gympie plays Glasshouse in the final round, so interesting times lie ahead.